The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-14
SEALS TO CAUSE No WAR.
THE TWO BRITISH SCHOONERS
RELEASED LONG AGO,

No Demand for Their Liberation Ever
Made by Her Majesty's Government
The Question of This Governments
Jurisdiction over Behring Sea Not
Brought Up by the Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, May 13.-It is said at the
Treasury Department that there is no
foundation for the report that the revenue
Francisco for Alaska for the purpose of
taking the United States Marshal to
Ounalaska to sell at public auction the
British vessels Onward and Thornton
which were seized last July for violating the
seal fishery laws. In the first place, it is
said that the Rush is not going to Alaska
at all, and in the second the British vessels
mentioned were released by this govern
ment sometime ago. The Rush will start
on her usual summer cruise in Northern
waters in about q month, but as yet her
orders have not been prepared.
NO DEMAND FOR DAMAGES.
Inquiry at the Department of State re-
garding the British vessels seized in Behring's
sea last summer discloses the fact that no
demand has ever been made by the British
government for the release of the vessels nor
has any claim for damages caused by the
seizure been made upon the government of
the United States. The correspondence be-
tween the two governments on the subject
was very limited. 1t opened with letter
from the English government reciting the
fact of the seizures and asking for informa-
ton relative to the details. This was re-
ceived ia September last and Secretary
Bayard Immediately began an examination
of the matter.
CAUSE OF THE DELAY.
1t became necessary to secure a record of
the proceedings before the United States
Court in Alaska, which had resulted in the
condemnation of the sealers, and it was not
until the following February that this was
received at the department. A careful ex-
animation was then made of the law and of
the treaty of cession by which the United
States became possessed of Alaska, which
resulted in an order for the release of the
seized vessels. The fact that the sealers had
been released was communicated to the
British government, and that was about all
there was of the correspondence on the sub
ject.
THIS GOVERNMENTS JURISDICTION.
There had been no occasion for this gov
ernment to make an official declaration of
the extent of its jurisdiction over the waters
of Behring sea. The matter received care
full examination, however, and the details of
the treaty and prior correspondence on the
general subject of marine jurisdiction were
studied. 1t was found that the boundary
line between the Russian and United States
possessions as defined by the treaty divided
the waters of Behring's sea into two parts,
which would tend to negative the idea that
it was a CLOSED sea" as the term is com
monty understood.
RUSSIA'S CLAIM.
This government has also resisted vigor-
ously the claim of Russian jurisdiction of
the sea of Ochotsl1, which at the time was
almost surrounded by Russian possessions
and refused to acknowledge Russia's claim
to jurisdiction over Behring'S sea before the
cession of Alaska.
In 1870, however, Congress passed laws for
the protection of the fisheries of Behring's
sea, and by its decision sustaining seizures.
The Alaskan court appears to have affirmed
the jurisdiction thus asserted.
WATCHING A SUIT.
Meanwhile, before assuming a final stand
on the question of jurisdiction the Depart
ment of State is awaiting with interest the
result of a suit for S22, 500 brought in Mas
sachusetts against Capt. Abbey, of the
Corbin, by the owners of the American
schooner Sierra, which was also seized last
summer in Alaskan waters, distant thirty
miles from the nearest land.